1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical contacts and, more particularly, to an electrical contact with orthogonal contact arms and offset contact areas.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,690 discloses a card edge connector having an electrical contact with two orthogonally bent contact arms and offset contact areas between the two arms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,907 discloses an electrical contact with generally parallel, but offset contact portions which overlap in a path of insertion of a male pin between the two contact areas. A problem with conventional electrical contacts which are intended to receive a mating male contact is that contact arm deflection can vary too much to be efficiently used in electrical connectors with very small spacings or pitch between contacts. In addition, insertion forces of a male contact between two contact arms in a very small contact pitch connector cannot be too large, which might result in damage to the contacts, but contact wipe between the contacts and contact force between the contacts needs to be sufficient to establish a good electrical mating between the contacts. Thus, there is a need for an electrical contact which can be used in very small contact pitch connectors which has good contact wipe characteristics, relatively low mating force characteristics, and good electrical contact with a mating male contact.